de Blasio Press Q&A: The Zadroga Act Edition



Mayor Bill de Blasio today joined New York City members of the House of Representatives in urging newly elected House Speaker Paul Ryan to pass legislation permanently reauthorizing and fully funding the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act.  de Blasio hosted a meeting and press conference at City Hall with   House members Charles B. Rangel, Joe Crowley, Carolyn Maloney, Jose Serrano, Nydia Velazquez, Hakeem Jeffries, Gregory Meeks and Yvette Clarke.  Dan Donovan attended the closed press meeting, but did not attend the press conference. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton and Public Advocate Tish James also attended the press conference.

de Blasio Press Conference 11-9-15

For Mayor de Blasio it was a moment of shared interest, if not unity, with a group that he’s had a variety of political differences with.  Renewal of the Zadroga Act, funding treatment for first responders ill from the effects of working in the wreckage of the World Trade Center, is a strongly shared interest transcending a variety of differences de Blasio has with City House members.  It faces strong opposition in the Republican Congress, however, and a floor vote in the House is not certain to occur.

This was Mayor de Blasio’s first “regular” press conference following an extraordinary session on Friday devoted to the Mayor’s press availability and press conference procedures.  A lengthy Q&A covered a wide variety of topics, but the Mayor’s Friday press conference appeared to have satisfied questions on press availability and the topic was not raised.

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On Topic Press Q&A:

Policing Press Q&A:


Off Topic Press Q&A: